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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23832748">Twinstar</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalloway/pseuds/Kalloway'>Kalloway</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Gundam SEED Astray</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 22:09:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,882</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23832748</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalloway/pseuds/Kalloway</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>While in Ghina's empty suite, Mina finds his tablet... </p><p>And a few messages, unsent.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The Lemonade Cafe, Unsent Letters 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Twinstar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/taichara/gifts">taichara</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rondo Mina Sahaku didn't recognize the alarm that was going off, but once she had her tablet's screen on and Ame-no-Mihashira's systems brought up, she understood what it was. </p><p>Mostly. </p><p>It was late enough that she hadn't lost too much sleep, at least. She dressed quickly and combed out her hair before heading down to the small infirmary that her Junk Guild companions had set up. </p><p>She knew she could have sent one of the Socius to see to this, but that would hardly have appeased her own curiosity. </p><p>"Lady Sahaku?" Alta, a young nurse from the Kingdom of Scandinavia, was sitting at the desk, seemingly oblivious to the silent alarm triggered nearby. </p><p>"I'm fine," Mina said quickly, "however there's been an alarm tripped at a water shut-off." </p><p>Hopefully that was enough of an explanation. While she knew quite a bit about Ame-no-Mihashira and its various systems, Mina would gladly admit that the plumbing was nearly entirely a blank. </p><p>Alta's eyes went wide. "Oh no! I saw the switch when I turned the water off, but I didn't think it'd go anywhere other than a log. The back sink is dripping both from the taps <i>and</i> the drain-- Ah, don't worry, I've already sent a few messages to see if anyone has parts." </p><p>Mina nodded. "I was surprised by the alarm as well, but I trust the situation will be quickly resolved." </p><p>Before Alta could respond, her own tablet beeped a half-dozen times. She quickly looked at it and then back to Mina. </p><p>"Gus is on the way to take a look at it," she said. </p><p>"Then I will leave the repairs to you and Gus," Mina replied before turning to go. She did not need to supervise what should be a simple repair. </p><p>~*~</p><p>"...and that's the short of it," Gus concluded. "I've seen it on about a dozen older ships myself and I know it's been a problem on plenty of others." </p><p>Mina nodded from where she sat. The explanation Gus offered was sound-- a combination of aging material, the chemicals used in reprocessing the station's water, and the force used to send and retrieve the water without natural gravity meant that things were breaking down, perhaps faster than expected. </p><p>"Go ahead and check the entire station," Mina said. "Replace what needs replacing. I'll send out a message asking for cooperation with scheduling inspections and repairs." </p><p>"I'll make sure I have everything I need ready," Gus replied, raking a gloved hand through her shock of bright red hair. </p><p>"Excellent. Inform me when you begin and if you encounter any rooms you cannot access. For any reason." </p><p>There were certainly places like that, Mina thought. She had one in mind, but she did not think it would need more than a cursory inspection. Perhaps the water there could even be turned off completely, now that she had adjusted the system to log those messages and silently inform her of their presence. </p><p>~*~ </p><p>She had not sought to preserve Ghina's room in any way; she had initially taken everything from it that she needed. The rest... There <i>was</i> no real reason, Mina supposed. She just hadn't cleaned it out. There was no reason to shift the Socius from their own nearby quarters, which simply left the suite mirroring her own empty-- whether or not it had anything in it. </p><p>Gus was, thankfully, not the type to ask invasive questions. </p><p>"I'll go check everything out," she simply said as she headed towards the suite's bathroom. Unlike the image of a plumber that Mina's imagination conjured up, Gus used a backpack instead of a toolbox. Perhaps it was easier when working without gravity... Gus did have a small bucket with her, and tools jammed in every pocket as well. </p><p>Mina did not think this would take long, but she started on a slow wander through anyway. There was nothing loose. Books were behind latched glass doors, furniture was secured to the floor... The bedroom was no different. The bed was made, covers tucked tightly and secured. Closet and drawers were all closed... </p><p>She heard Gus humming softly and the now-familiar thunk of panels being removed to check the supply and return of the shower. </p><p>When had she last come in here? </p><p>Mina was no longer sure. </p><p>Perhaps it was finally time to-- </p><p>She ran a hand over the bedding, shifted her cape, and sat. Surely... </p><p>There was a sudden thunk from far closer than the bathroom. </p><p>"What...?" </p><p>It took a moment to find the slim tablet that had fallen from where it had been wedged and only a moment longer to open a drawer and find its charger. </p><p>"Ghina," Mina whispered as she traced her fingers over the edge of the screen. There was a thunk of the shower panels being put back in place, and as soon as the tablet was up to 3%, Mina turned it on. </p><p>There was a password screen, of course, and while she did not <i>know</i> the password, her first guess was nonetheless correct. </p><p>The main screen was a cluttered mess of station notices that stopped two days after-- </p><p>Mina cleared them all with one meaningful swipe. A second later, a new one appeared, noting that a water shut-off sensor had been triggered. </p><p>"Gonna need to do taps and gasket on the sink," Gus called two seconds later. "Got some dry rot." </p><p>There were no other important notices and Mina continued clearing everything away until she was left with something she'd thought lost. There could not be much on it that would be of use to her now, but-- </p><p>She silently tapped on the icon for messages anyway, curious. </p><p>That she was the recipient of most of his messages was not a surprise. Those, she still had, both on an old device and as a single file tucked deep in a folder on a new tablet that she didn't use for administration. Those were not new. </p><p>Except... </p><p>There was a second number beside the first, in red. Message drafts. </p><p>The poor tablet was up to 7% as it loaded first the sent messages and then about a dozen draft messages that had never left the tablet. </p><p>What had Ghina not managed to say? </p>
<p></p><div class="phone">
  <p class="messagebody">
<span class="header">twinstar - drafts</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">After everything I did for Erica, she </span><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p>A little <i>too</i> much, Mina thought as she slid to see the previous draft. </p>
<p></p><div class="phone">
  <p class="messagebody">
<span class="header">twinstar - drafts</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">This is sickening and I am doing it only for Orb. Azrael has given me payment, or perhaps reward, in the form of three young men. No, he has given me three mobile suits, prototypes, which come with pilots. Not as reassignment, but ownership. It </span><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p>That was certainly not the message that Mina had eventually received. The one she recalled had a slightly more formal tone. Perhaps Ghina had paused to collect himself? He'd spent days mumbling under his breath about putting a bullet in Azrael's brain once everything was over. </p><p>Mina certainly could not fault him for that. </p>
<p></p><div class="phone">
  <p class="messagebody">
<span class="header">twinstar - drafts</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">Azrael is utterly insufferable and if I did not need to gain the trust of the Alliance, I would have ended his miserable existence the first time he opened his mouth. He </span><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p>Looking at the date on the draft, Mina backed out of the folder and to the messages he'd actually sent. She remembered that day. She remembered waking up to an array of messages from him. </p>
<p></p><div class="phone">
  <p class="messagebody">
<span class="header">twinstar</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">How is work progressing on your M1A?</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">You have the patience for these miserable briefings and I do not.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">Even with ZAFT defeated and the Alliance destroyed, it will not end all the fighting. We'd best continue planning for peacekeeping.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">Do you remember that restaurant that Father used to take us to, right on the ocean?</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">The team I'm commanding is full of hotshots but they at least know how to listen to basic orders. There are a lot of prototype mobile suits here. Being tested in live combat. I suppose given the current situation, it's necessary. Everyone needs to try to stay a step ahead of everyone else. We are no different, are we? I'll make sure we have whatever data we need.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">All this from one GINN, Erica's talent, and the Alliance's deep pockets. We should all be proud.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">I wonder if that restaurant is still there.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">This is a very long and dull meeting. At least I am not looking at anything pornographic or reading comics like on some of the screens in my line of vision.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">I realize you are likely asleep.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">I am handling everything I need to. Continue handling what you need to.</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="greply">⭐</span><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p>Two hours later, she'd responded first with a single symbol. A star. She was there, she was reading... </p><p>Of course, she'd heard about the whole of Victoria in person, and the terrible reward that Ghina had been given for his cooperation. </p><p>Mina went back to the drafts. </p>
<p></p><div class="phone">
  <p class="messagebody">
<span class="header">twinstar - drafts</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">THOSE IDIOTS!</span><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p>She did not need to check the date on that one. </p>
<p></p><div class="phone">
  <p class="messagebody">
<span class="header">twinstar - drafts</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">Erica's cooperation with both that mercenary and that junker are troublesome, yet I see no reason to forbid her from it at present. She is carefully extracting all the data she can and both men have made such unique changes to their prototypes that we're getting data we would not have otherwise. It can be used for both the M1s and M1As in short order.<br/>
<br/>
The mercenary is badly injured; it would be perfect opportunity but perhaps poor timing. P03 will be ours again, rebuilt and stronger. Erica already has fascinating ideas.</span><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p>Back farther.</p>
<p></p><div class="phone">
  <p class="messagebody">
<span class="header">twinstar - drafts</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">The Junk Guild managed to save the Gigafloat. P03 was there, modified. The Mirage Colloid is useless underwater and Erica has quite a bit of work to do to get Gold Frame fully operational. It needs more </span><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p>And farther... </p>
<p></p><div class="phone">
  <p class="messagebody">
<span class="header">twinstar - drafts</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">Erica has contracted the mercenary with P03 to fight against the M1s. This should be interesting. No room to interfere, unfortunately, or for training accidents. After the last incident </span><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p>Mina shook her head gently. That had been... </p><p>It felt like a lifetime ago. </p><p>She went back father anyway. </p>
<p></p><div class="phone">
  <p class="messagebody">
<span class="header">twinstar - drafts</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">Even if the day escaped us, that was a brilliant performance. You are clearly meant for an Astray. Take the red one, when you can, or blue if you prefer. Or see to a new build suited just for you and your skill. Then we will dance together on the battlefield. Then we </span><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p>Mina sighed. She had not gotten quite that level of praise in person. </p>
<p></p><div class="phone">
  <p class="messagebody">
<span class="header">twinstar - drafts</span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="text">We need to do something about Father. His actions are reckless and only now he dares to feel that he may have erred? It may take both of us, but </span><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p>But it hadn't. </p><p>It hadn't. </p><p>And it all felt like a lifetime ago already. </p><p>What point was there in challenging the past like this? </p><p>The battery was up to 11% when Mina turned the tablet off and tugged the cord from the wall. The charger went back into the drawer it had been in, and the tablet... </p><p>Tucked under a pillow for the time being. </p><p>"Hey, Lady Sahaku, I'm all set in here!" Gus called a moment later. </p><p>"I am as well," Mina replied as she stood. </p><p>She still had decisions to make, of course. </p><p>But all was taken care of for the time being.</p>
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